The chief executive of Dubai’s largest port operator has been replaced after details emerged publicly regarding his past association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
On Friday, DP World confirmed in a statement that Essa Kazim had been appointed chairman of the board, while Yuvraj Narayan would assume the role of group Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem.
Recently released documents by the U.S. Department of Justice concerning Epstein indicated that the financier had described Sulayem as a “close personal friend” and one of his most trusted associates in separate filings. Sulayem has not faced any allegations of criminal misconduct.
A filing submitted to Nasdaq Dubai, where DP World has listed bonds, stated that Sulayem stepped down from his position with immediate effect.
Sulayem had led the company as chairman since 2007 and took on the additional role of chief executive in 2016.
The company’s statement did not reference Sulayem directly but noted that the new leadership appointments were aligned with its long-term growth strategy and its commitment to enhancing global supply chains while reinforcing Dubai’s status as a key international trade and logistics hub.
CNBC approached Sulayem for comment via DP World, where he had been serving as chairman and CEO, but no response was received.
Kazim previously served as Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre, while Narayan had held the positions of deputy CEO and chief financial officer at DP World since 2005.
Sulayem remains one of Dubai’s most influential business leaders, hailing from a prominent Emirati family. His father acted as an adviser to the ruling Al Maktoum family, and Sulayem himself played a significant role in shaping Dubai’s rise as a global commercial centre.
During his tenure, he oversaw the transformation of Jebel Ali Port into a leading deep-water shipping hub and steered DP World’s expansion into a global logistics operator managing ports responsible for roughly 10 per cent of worldwide container trade.
He also headed Nakheel Properties, a government-owned real estate developer, before being replaced amid a board overhaul that followed Dubai World’s debt restructuring during the 2008 global financial crisis.
